Defenseman Damon Severson will return after missing 31 games with a fractured left ankle, and the Devils will go with seven defensemen and 11 forwards.

Ryder and Havlat did not directly request trades, but Ryder told reporters Tuesday general manager Lou Lamoriello knew he was open to a deal.

“But, it’s hard to move a guy and get something for him when I’ve only played two games since the All-Star break,” said Havlat, who has been a healthy scratch 15 times since the break. “Other teams are probably wondering what’s going on or whatever, so if they wanted to get something for me, it’s tough.”

Ryder, 34, was out with the mumps earlier this season and has six goals and 12 assists in 44 games, including two goals and two assists in eight games before the break.

Havlat, 33, has five goals and nine assists in 38 games. He did not comment on the team’s decision not to trade him.

Both players will be unrestricted free agents this summer.

]]>http://snydevils.com/notes/ryder-havlat-scratched-again-severson-returns/feed/0jmcguire860Lamoriello: There were better deals out there for Zidlickyhttp://snydevils.com/notes/lamoriello-there-were-better-deals-out-there-for-zidlicky/
http://snydevils.com/notes/lamoriello-there-were-better-deals-out-there-for-zidlicky/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 16:29:05 +0000http://snydevils.com/?p=10411]]>The Devils traded Marek Zidlicky to the Detroit Red Wings for a conditional third-round draft pick Monday, but GM and interim coach Lou Lamoriello said there were better deals out there for the team (NJ.com, March 2).

But, given the defenseman’s no-trade clause, the Devils’ hands were tied.

“He was aware of the teams that were interested in him. When he has the choice, you then can only make the best transaction that is available,” Lamoriello said Monday. “There were other deals out there, yes, if that were a place Marek wanted to go.

“Were there better deals? Certainly. Were there worse deals? Certainly. But in no way did Marek hold the New Jersey Devils up or did the New Jersey Devils hold him up. This is a right he has.”

The deal with Detroit was the only deal the Devils made on deadline day, but that doesn’t mean Lamoriello didn’t have hopes for more.

“We did try to do several things. We weren’t able to get done some of the things we hoped to,” Lamoriello said. “It was a combination of both maybe trying to move a player and add something to it to get a certain type of player.

“This is the first time I’ve experienced the other side of it. We would have and certainly had the freedom to acquire somebody that would have helped us or made us better. If we could have, we would’ve done that.”

]]>http://snydevils.com/notes/lamoriello-there-were-better-deals-out-there-for-zidlicky/feed/0gluciveroDevils trade Zidlicky to Detroithttp://snydevils.com/notes/devils-trade-zidlicky-to-detroit/
http://snydevils.com/notes/devils-trade-zidlicky-to-detroit/#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 00:15:23 +0000http://snydevils.com/?p=10400]]>7:15 p.m.: According to Devils GM Lou Lamoriello, the Devils had better offers for Marek Zidlicky than the one they accepted from Detroit (Gulitti, March 2).

“There were other deals out there, yes, if that were a place Marek wanted to go. Were there better deals? Certainly. Were there worse deals? Certainly” said Lamoriello, adding that “in no way did Marek hold the New Jersey Devils up or the New Jersey Devils hold him up.”

The Devils have traded defenseman Marek Zidlicky to the Red Wings in exchange for a conditional third round draft pick in 2016 (Gulitti, March 2).

According to reporter Tom Gulitti, Zidlicky needed to waive his no-trade clause in order for the deal to go through.

Zidlicky, 38, was set to become a free agent after the season.

In 63 games played with the Devils this season, Zidlicky had four goals and 19 assists.

]]>http://snydevils.com/notes/devils-trade-zidlicky-to-detroit/feed/0dabrianoSeverson could return to lineup Fridayhttp://snydevils.com/notes/severson-could-return-to-lineup-friday/
http://snydevils.com/notes/severson-could-return-to-lineup-friday/#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 23:51:43 +0000http://snydevils.com/?p=10376]]>Damon Severson, who recently returned to practice, has been ruled out for Tuesday night’s game but could return as soon as Friday (Gulitti, March 2).

Severson has been out since December 15 due to a fractured left ankle.

After returning to practice last week, Severson weighed in on how he felt (Gulitti, Feb. 26).

“We’ve been working a lot on my conditioning in the past few days and just trying to get back into shape, making sure I’m game ready again because I want to come back and help this team,” Severson said. “We’re in a tight spot here right now, so I want to be 100 percent when get back. When I come back I want to be effective out there.”

Severson, 20, has 4 goals and 8 assists in 20 games played this season.

]]>http://snydevils.com/notes/severson-could-return-to-lineup-friday/feed/0USATSI_8173161_110579513_lowresgluciveroKinkaid recovered from groin injury, Clemmensen sent to Albanyhttp://snydevils.com/notes/kinkaid-recovered-from-groin-injury-clemmensen-sent-to-albany/
http://snydevils.com/notes/kinkaid-recovered-from-groin-injury-clemmensen-sent-to-albany/#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 15:32:37 +0000http://snydevils.com/?p=10396]]>Keith Kinkaid is back on the ice after missing four games with a groin injury. With a healthy Kinkaid ready to back up Cory Schneider between the pipes, the Devils sent goalie Scott Clemmensen back to Albany (Fire and Ice, March 2).

Clemmensen didn’t see any game action after being called up for Monday’s game, a 3-0 win over Arizona.

Kinkaid was injured in the second period on Feb. 21 in the Devils 3-1 victory over Carolina. Though it was initially projected that the 25-year-old wouldn’t miss any time, he said his groin was still “tender” when he went to test it before Monday’s morning skate.

Need to Know:Cory Schneider netted a shutout stopping 33 shots for the Devils. Andy Greene gave the Devils a 1-0 lead in the first period and the defense did the rest. Travis Zajac added a goal in the third period for some breathing room.

]]>http://snydevils.com/notes/recap-devils-2-blue-jackets-0/feed/0jfsilverGame Recap: Bruins 3 — Devils 2 (OT)http://snydevils.com/notes/game-recap-bruins-3-devils-2-ot/
http://snydevils.com/notes/game-recap-bruins-3-devils-2-ot/#commentsSat, 28 Feb 2015 02:34:26 +0000http://snydevils.com/?p=10382]]>Recap: The Bruins’ Ryan Spooner scored his first NHL goal 2:46 into overtime as the Devils lost their first game without Jaromir Jagr.

Need to Know: Spooner’s goal spoiled the Devils’ comeback. They trailed 2-0 before Travis Zajac scored a power-play goal with 14:03 left in the third period and Jordin Tootoo followed two minutes later to tie the score.

The Devils were outshot 12-4 in the first period, but outshot the Bruins 27-22 the rest of the way.

Daniel Paille’s goal with 11:21 left in the first period was the first time the Devils allowed the opening goal on their six-game homestand. The Bruins took a 2-0 lead on David Pastrnak’s goal 1:40 into the third.

The Bruins had lost seven of their previous eight (1-5-2).

Boston swept the three-game season series and has won five of six at the Prudential Center.

]]>http://snydevils.com/notes/game-recap-bruins-3-devils-2-ot/feed/0jmcguire860Friday’s game against Bruins is make or break for Devils’ seasonhttp://snydevils.com/notes/fridays-game-against-bruins-is-make-or-break-for-devils-season/
http://snydevils.com/notes/fridays-game-against-bruins-is-make-or-break-for-devils-season/#commentsFri, 27 Feb 2015 20:59:04 +0000http://snydevils.com/?p=10378]]>While interim coach Lou Lamoriello said, “I don’t think there’s one game that’s pivotal,” his players seem to have a different idea as the Devils look to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Boston Bruins Friday night (Fire and Ice, Feb. 26).

The Devils hope to pull within six points of the Bruins as they welcome the squad to the Prudential Center on Friday, in an attempt to avoid missing the playoffs for the third season in a row.

“We can stare at the standings as much as you want, but this is pretty much the only team we can catch,” defenseman Adam Larsson said. “So, it’s a really big game.”

If the Devils lose in regulation, the point gap falls to 10 points, and it’s hard for center Travis Zajac to pretend they can overcome that.

“It’s probably our season I would think,” Zajac said. “It’s a four-point game against Boston and we’ve got to make sure we’re ready to play. Both teams need the points, so we’ve got to come out with a little better effort and make some more plays and execute.”

]]>http://snydevils.com/notes/fridays-game-against-bruins-is-make-or-break-for-devils-season/feed/0gluciveroLamoriello says Devils still in race despite Jagr tradehttp://snydevils.com/notes/lamoriello-says-devils-still-in-race-despite-jagr-trade/
http://snydevils.com/notes/lamoriello-says-devils-still-in-race-despite-jagr-trade/#commentsFri, 27 Feb 2015 00:34:56 +0000http://snydevils.com/?p=10374]]>Lou Lamoriello said that the trade that sent Jaromir Jagr to the Florida Panthers does not signal that the Devils are no longer looking to contend this season (Gulitti, Feb. 26).

Lamoriello told reporter Tom Gulitti that “by no means are we feeling that we are out of the race. When transactions like this take place it give opportunities for people to come forward.”

Lamoriello also left the door open for the Devils making an acquisition and said that Jagr’s recent complaints about playing time had no impact on the decision to trade the 43-year-old.

With 21 games left in the regular season, the Devils (25-27-9) are eight points behind Boston for the second Wild Card spot.

]]>http://snydevils.com/notes/lamoriello-says-devils-still-in-race-despite-jagr-trade/feed/0Jaromir JagrdabrianoJaromir Jagr traded to Florida Panthershttp://snydevils.com/notes/jaromir-jagr-traded-to-florida-panthers/
http://snydevils.com/notes/jaromir-jagr-traded-to-florida-panthers/#commentsThu, 26 Feb 2015 21:33:39 +0000http://snydevils.com/?p=10368]]>The Florida Panthers have acquired Jaromir Jagr from the Devils for a 2015 second round pick and the choice of either Florida or Minnesota’s third round pick in 2016. (Devils)

Jagr, 42, has 11 goals and 18 assists this season in 57 games.

In 139 games with the Devils over a season and a half, Jagr had 35 goals and 61 assists.